`Ploying` Ourselves Into Safety

September 10, 1985|By Isabel C. Condit.

MORTON GROVE — I see that the Soviets have pulled another ``clever public relations ploy`` (Michael McGuire, Aug. 4). This time wily chairman Mikhail Gorbachev has declared that the USSR will unilaterally cease all nuclear testing for five months, to prove Soviet willingness to sign a comprehensive test ban treaty. Our administration huffs and puffs and denounces this nasty trick, intended to make us look so bad in the eyes of the world.

But that gives me an idea. Just supposing we ``ployed`` right back at them? Why don`t we just announce that we, too, will cease nuclear testing, and will continue our ban for as long as the Soviets do. That will put them on the spot. Us, too. Testing is easy to verify and no one wants to be caught cheating.

Just think: We might succeed in ``ploying`` ourselves into ending the arms race and creating a much safer world, with such PR tricks--if that`s what they are.